


Something Wicked This Way Comes

by LittleBirdAlien23



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, wHATTTT
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-24
Updated: 2016-09-02
Packaged: 2018-07-26 12:42:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7574461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleBirdAlien23/pseuds/LittleBirdAlien23
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When we're small, we are entertained with stories of old, tales of legend, fantasy, myth and lore. They are exciting, fascinating, even frightening at times and as children we cannot get enough.</p><p>So why as we grow older, do we lose interest? Why do we no longer believe? </p><p>Sarah was different. She never stopped believing. Her belief grew with her. </p><p>While visiting Ireland to finish her degree in Folklore and Mythology, Sarah's stay become more than just a research trip. It became a whirlwind adventure through a magical world. </p><p>But Sarah can't shake the feeling that she is being watched.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or anything from the Labyrinth. Just love the work!

_Magic has a funny way about it, people expect it to be upfront, bold. This is what we are taught, we live in a non-magical world and if we cannot see it, it does not exist. As children perhaps we see something, feel something, believe in something, prehaps we instinctively know that the shadow we saw pass over our window isn't just a shadow. Maybe we are all living a lie... ___

__Bang! The laptop slammed shut with such a force that it echoed in the very nearly empty library, almost empty of course except for the librarian who at this moment felt the need to look up from her computer, and glare at the figure responsible for the noise., said figure was now staring at the inanimate object with malice in her eyes._ _

__Sarah looked up sheepishly, all hate for her term paper dwindling as she realized that she could not afford to be kicked out of another library. The cottage she was staying at did not have internet access. She had been staying there for a couple of moths now, and for the most part the solitude suited her, no internet, no TV. She went to class, came home and studied, read on the weekends and if she needed to went to the library. The one creature comfort she had though about getting was a bike, it would be easier riding then trudging back and forth, especially when it rained. Right on cue she could begin her hear the tell tale pitter patter against the window, the gradual darkening of her surroundings, the rain had come. Sarah sighed, tucking her foot up underneath her, she tried to fold herself into a comfortable position and hunkered down for a couple more hours of typing. Opening her laptop, she stared at the blinking icon waiting for inspiration to come, this was her major it really shouldn't be this hard. Her step-mother didn't approve of course, majoring in Folklore and Mythology, she had wanted Sarah to study something more practical, but she had never been a practical so why start now?_ _

Her step-mother meant well, the embarrassment just got to her sometimes. Sarah Williams was the town crazy. Never quite fitting in, always living more in her head then in the world around her. It scared people, her indifference to what society deemed normal. It was all very happenstance how she had ended up in Ireland. She had been walking to her creative writing class one cold morning, her red nose and frozen fingers were enough to convince her to stop off at the local coffee shop before hand. The usually bustling coffee shop was dead when Sarah walked in. She walked up to the counter, no barista in sight. Sighing she went to pull out her phone to check where the next closest coffee shop was, when she saw something fluttering out of the corner of her eye. Her curiosity piqued she turned and looked, it was the community pin-board where the local bands advertised gigs, or people looking for roommates would tack up their papers. All of the papers had fallen down onto the floor, except one. Sarah was drawn to it, walking up she pulled it from the board. 

_Come to Ireland!_ the title read _study abroad and experience all the magic Ireland has to offer. Cottages available to rent for incoming students. Small private college on the Irish coast, an hours drive from the excitement of Galway._

____Sarah had made the call that night._ _ _ _


	2. Chapter 2

The ticking of the clock brought Sarah back from her reminiscing. Hours seemed to have passed and the ticking was just getting louder. Sarah glanced in the direction of the obnoxious noise, it was an old-fashioned clock, with hands that made that offending ticking noise whenever they moved. Even more concerning though was that fact that it had carvings on its sides, intricate little creatures with hideous faces, quite frankly it gave Sarah the creeps. 7:00 the clock said as if on cue her stomach growled. Looking longingly out the window Sarah could see a pie shop across the street, a memory sprung to mind of the first pie she had had in Ireland, biting into it the flaky crust and juicy steak, her mouth was watering at the thought. From that an internal battle sprung up, on one hand she needed to get her paper done, it was pressing and she was running out of time, on the other hand....she was hungry. Her stomach growled again, cementing the decision to go get food. Sarah got up, stretching her arms above her head until she heard the satisfying pop of her joints. Making her way over to the librarian, she put on her meekest face, hoping that her haggard look would soften the woman. 

"Excuse me, Ma'am would it be alright if I left my stuff here, I'm just going to pop across the street for some dinner" Sarah extended her hand to point in the direction of the shop. The librarian looked at her disapprovingly. 

"I'll be really quick." Sarah said moving towards the door "I promise" she finished quickly not giving the older woman a chance to get in a word edgewise.

The librarian sighed and glanced at the clock. "Just this once dearie, and don't be coming back in a tizzy if someone's gone and taken your things." 

Sarah's face lit up like it was Christmas, "Thank you so much, Ma'am! I promise I won't be long."

Racing back over to her table, Sarah snatched her wallet out of her backpack, looking to make sure she had enough euros to secure her dinner, she counted 20 and sighed in relief. Happily, she made her way to the front door, giving pause as she realized that it was the same style as the clock on the wall. Heavy silver handles and silver paneling went up the wood, giving the library a decided medieval feeling. Intrigued she looked a bit closer, seeing that on the sides of the doors were those same hideous little creatures, only this time they were joined by something else, tall and slim it towered over the hideous things, almost looking down its nose at them. Sarah leaned in to get a closer look, her blood racing as the thing seemed to call to her. 

"Ahem!" she heard behind her, startled she turned around to face the noise. 

"Shouldn't you be going dearie?" the librarian said inched from Sarah's face "It's going to start raining again, you don't want to end up walking home in a downpour hmmm" 

Sarah blinked, still reeling from the fact that the old woman had made her way so quietly over to her. "Uh yeah, I'm just going now." she said nervously reaching for the handle "Sorry" she called over her shoulder, not really knowing what she needed to apologize for, but feeling like she had to all the same.


	3. Chapter 3

Sarah walked down the bustling town street, happily munching on the pie she had acquired. The wind was wreaking havoc on her hair, blowing it across her mouth and preventing her from scarfing down her food.

"Shit" she thought as a particularly strong gust made her hair temporarily blind her. "I really need to find a place to sit down" with that thought in mind, Sarah wrapped the pie up and shoved it into her coat pocket. Her mind made up she turned down a quieter street, one that she knew lead to a massive park.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity she wandering into the entrance, it had grown dark in her trek, and she was eager to find a nice quiet place to relax and eat. Squinting into the distance Sarah spotted a bench that was deeper in the park. Sighing contentedly, she made her way back to it, moaning in appreciation as she finally sat down, her feet still weren't used to all the walking.

Picking up her pie again, Sarah took a minute to look around her, the moon was starting to illuminate the trees, casting eerie shadows. A lone light post a little ways down the path had just stared to flicker to life, a slight buzzing filled the air, she watched as it struggled to come to life, flickering on and off until it gave up hope and turned off again.

"Great" Sarah muttered to herself "This is exactly what happens when someone is about to get murdered".

Scanning her surroundings suspiciously, Sarah concluded, for the moment at least, that no masked monster would jump out and resumed eating her dinner.

**_“CRACK”_** the deafening sound of lightening hitting something in the distance startled Sarah so much, that the her dinner came flying out of her hands, landing with a splat on the ground below. 

**“Shit!”** she screamed. Head now on a swivel, trying to figure out where the noise had come from. 

The light post that had previously given up, now sprung to life. The light kicking on, and that buzzing filled the air again. Sarah watched in horror as the light got brighter and brighter, the buzzing sound turned into a high pitched whining. Putting her hands over her ears, she scrambled to duck behind the bench.

A second later, the sound of glass shattering replaced the whining, a slight burning smell filled the air, like fire mixed with iron. Sarah took several deep breaths, not wanting to move from her hiding place, but knowing she had to. 

Wiping away the tear that had made its way down her cheek, Sarah cautiously lifted her head to look over the bench. Everything was quiet again, she had lost the light from the moon at some point, dark clouds having moved in, covering everything in inky blackness. Standing up on shaky legs, Sarah gripped the bench, and looked in the direction of the light post.  
The head of the light post was no more, glass and bits of wood were spread everywhere, some shards even making it a couple inches from her. Sarah gulped, realizing how lucky it was that she wasn’t hurt.

Walking over to mess, she tried to piece together what had happened. The burning smell was gone; she had first thought it was the lightening that had struck it, but somehow that didn’t seem right.

Reaching down she picked up one of the shards, that odd smell came back to her again. Sarah looked at the piece quizzically, bringing it up to her nose and sniffing, she realized the burnt iron smell was coming from the shards.

Sarah dropped it as if it had burnt her, that didn’t make sense her rational mind told her, her irrational mind told her to run, that there was something going on here, and she was in danger.


	4. Chapter 4

Sarah knew she should run; her self-preservation was taking effect, but her body…well her body wouldn’t listen to her. She stayed there immobile, paralysed with fear. That’s when she heard it, the sound of glass on asphalt, her ears pricked trying to catch what the soft sound was. Was something rolling? That can't be right she thought, as the noise grew closer, letting out a small gasp as she turned towards the direction it was coming from, she stared confusingly at a small glass ball that was steadily rolling towards her. Eyebrows furrowed in confusion; she watched on as it stopped by itself about 20 feet in front of her.

Sarah was beginning to wonder if someone was tormenting her on purpose, “Hello” she called out “Is anyone there?” silence answered her. Sarah moved to turn around; she was going to go home and try to forget this ever happened.Lifting her foot to step around the broken glass, she let out a squeak when she found couldn’t move.“What the hell” she growled trying to take another step and getting the same result. The glass ball that had previously been still started to shake. Sarah had the insane urge to burst out laughing, this was what she got for studying folklore, her stepmother had told her it would turn her brain to mush and now look, she was hallucinating.

The ball started to hover, light emanating out of it until it was so bright that Sarah had to cover her eyes. The light abruptly died out, and Sarah peeked from beneath her fingers.  
“What the hell” she breathed out, as the floating ball was no more, in its place was a white barn owl.

The creature looked at her, cocking its head to the side as if it was sizing her up. Sarah glared back at the owl for second, before realising that, well, she looked like a crazy person, standing in the middle of the park glaring at an owl. Her gaze went to the owl again; it eyes seemed to mock her. “You know what, fuck you,” she screamed “this whole thing is crazy, and you’re an owl, and I can’t move” her voice broke as the tear starting to roll down her cheeks “I don’t know what's going on.” she whimpered. She knees gave out, and she sank to the ground, tears and exhaustion colouring her voice “I just want to go home.”

Hearing the fluttering of wings, Sarah looked up surprised to see the owl was now directly in front of her. It looked at her like it was waiting for something, she felt wary of it, but looking closer she noticed its feathers; up close they looked so soft, so beautiful. Almost in a trance, Sarah could see her hand raise up towards the owl; her mind was telling her to stop, but she just couldn’t seem too.  
Before she could reach it, though, the owl took flight, flapping its wings it hovered above her outstretched arm, the fogginess fading, Sarah tried to pull her arm back, alarmed when like her legs she couldn’t make it move. The owl screeched and like lightning clamped one leg on her wrist. Sarah screamed, the searing pain engulfing her wrist was too much, she started to lose consciousness, “It’s burning” she thought as the darkness engulfed her “It’s burning”.


End file.
